Don't Worry About a Thing
by AnotherPerson5
Summary: Ironman drabbles/mini-fics. Pairings will include: Tony/Rhodey, Tony/Pepper, Rhodey/Pepper/Tony gen and ships. T for some of the chapters.
1. Sky: TonyXRhodey

James Rhodes does _not_ think Tony is an angel. If angels were like Tony then heaven would be in serious trouble in regards to their purity quota. Tony doesn't go to church or have wings or preach cleanliness of mind and soul. He's just some cocky superhero with too much brains and too little self restraint. Because a real angel would never _ever_ swoop down on James on his way to ream his new cadets for their latest blunder and carry him so high into the air he can't see the insignia on his new car.

"TONY! Put me the hell down!"

"What? I can't hear you over the sound of me saving your life, speak up."

"Saving my life?"

Then James looks down and watches the car explode into a million different pieces. There's a faint click and James turns his head as much as he dares to see the insignia of his brand new BMW bounce off the Iron Man suit. Tony detects it as well and reroutes their course, lowering their altitude by increments until they're at the mansion. He removes his mask, running a hand through his hair,

"You should really start doing background checks on your dealerships there Rhodes."

"Yeah well I never saw any reason to."

"Oh yeah no, why would anyone want to hurt you. You're only the sidekick slash best friend of the most powerful and loved man in the city, maybe the country, okay let's be honest the world. Nobody would ever ever want to come after you. I'm being silly." He punches the other man's shoulder, greeting the colonel's silent glare with a wink, "I've gotta run, try not get blown up."

And before James can respond the mask is back on and Iron Man is shooting past the clouds.

Yeah, besides the flying through the air and saving people thing, there is nothing angelic about Tony Stark.


	2. Percentages: TonyxPepper

Pepper is about eighty percent sure she's miserably in love with Anthony Stark. Her friend laughs and starts to ask what's so wrong with that when said Stark peeks his head into her office, the closest to a knock he's gonna get, then enters.

"I'll call you back." she says and holds out her hand for Tony to drop the flash drive into, "Your new project?"

"Latest and the greatest if I do say so myself."

She begins to click through the schematics and summaries, nodding in approval, "I can have a presentation ready to show the board by the end of the week. Should I find somewhere else for you to be now or later?"

"Later, I like surprises."

"Ha." she begins to update both their schedules, a new agenda of things to do keeping her from wondering why Tony continues to spin around in the chair in front of her desk. She's sending a text to one of her assistants when she chances a glance at the man, his elbows now on the table with his usual cryptic smirk.

"Yes?"

"Why only eighty? I mean is it the hair? Because you know I had to cut it-"

Pepper throws up her hands, "Because of the helmet head thing."

"-because of the helmet head thing, right. Or is it The Thing?"

She snorts, "The Thing?"

"Yes, the Thing that happened The Night which I apologize for, but did I not return the monkey?"

"The farmer said-"

"The farmer did not show up to the initial hearing and therefore his testimony is erroneous."

"You know what, Tony, it's not about the monkey." she waves her hands as he starts to argue, "It's _not_. It's about your inability to take anything serious."

"Lies. Lies and more lies." She reaches for the office phone, "What are you doing?"

"Calling James."

He looks stricken, reaching over and it from her touch," The problem with that is- Rhodey is busy at the moment."

"This moment?"

"No, the moment after he talked to me... at which point he became very preoccupied so there s no reason to call him." Now Pepper is the one smirking, "So can I just go on record saying that I am sorry I was listening in, I understand-"

He cuts himself with a defeated sigh, finally noticing the cellphone in Pepper s hand as she waits for the switchboard to connect her.

"Yes?" even on speaker his voice manages to sound ten times as exasperated

"Hi James, I hate to bother you but have you seen Tony around?"

"Have I seen Tony?" he growled, "If I see Tony it ll be the last time anyone sees Tony! The little tinhead reprogrammed the flight simulator on base," someone shouts his name in the background, "I gotta go."

She grins, gesturing to the phone, "Why don t you explain that Mr. Serious."

"That? That was not me being not serious, that was me rewarding our brave American men and perhaps women." she waits, "See when a recruit accomplishes a series of very difficult flight maneuvers I programmed the system to show our countries loveliest of starlets, God rest her soul, Marilyn Monroe."

"Doing what?"

He cleared his throat, "Taking off her clothes but! have you ever been through a flight simulator expedition? It manages to be both boring and stressful I was doing them a favor."

"And by them you mean you."

He smiles, "Well, yes." she moves towards the door, "I mean no!"

She shakes her head as Tony races to block her from leaving, hands on her hips

"You want to know what my percentage is?"

"No. Please, I have an appointment."

"Just look."

He removes a pen from his jacket pocket, VirtuText emblazoned on the side of it. In the air he traces the sign for infinity, the golden symbol hanging between them. She stares at it for the better part of a minute, quietly inscrutable while Tony waits patiently. When it finally fades he takes a step to the side, opening the door for her.

"So?"

She smiles, "Eighty five."


	3. Apples and Oranges: TonyxPepperxRhodey

When Pepper wakes up Tony is sitting upright in bed, staring down at both of them. She shifts her elbow into James stomach, nudging him awake. The other man yawns, puts his nose into her shoulder and mutters something. She draws the sheet up to her chest and nudges him again harder.

"What?"

"I think we broke him."

As it is Tony is still staring, even when James sits up, rubbing the back of his neck and rolling out of the bed so that he can stumble to the bathroom. Tony watches him go until the door shuts, until the shower begins to run and James starts singing songs from a play list he affectionately calls "I'm Awake and Not Dead Aka Tony s Mix" .

"You okay?" Pepper says at last, kneeling and drawing the blankets up with her

He blinks, "I'm not entirely sure."

"Happy? Angry? Confused?"

"Yes."

"Which?"

"All of them."

She smiles, amused when the personification of self confidence the world knows him as actually shrinks from her advances at first, turning his head to the side as her face inches towards his. But then he meets her eyes and they re kissing as if they never stopped. Her mouth is soft, lips yielding mercifully to the faintest of prodding as she presses to him. She tastes of morning breath, of cranberries and vodka and memories of last night.

Had it really started with an argument? With Tony coming back wounded, James furious at all the international air laws he d broken and Pepper this side of tears as he struggled to remain standing while being berated on how little he knew about people for someone who constantly fought for them.

Who had said those dangerous three little words anyways? And to whom? Pepper to Tony? James to Pepper? Did it even matter?

"I love your robe, where did you get this thing?"

"Guam."

"Liar." James checks the tag, giving a nod to the robot who just dropped a tray of drinks on the floor. Tony was still working out the kinks and until then everything it served came with a cap.

"Sometimes, but in this case not. Remember, the Dynamo fiasco."

"That's right, the people from town took us aside."

"What'd they give you?"

"A congratulations."

Pepper laughs, accepts the other orange juice he snagged for her and pulls away from Tony. He is between them now, his legs beneath the blanket, the moment of awkwardness starting to fade just as James leans over and kisses him.

"Thanks for the orange juice."

"It's from The Orchard."

"Yeah, Santa Cruz."

"No, but thanks for playing. Try Florida."

"I'm pretty sure it's Santa Cruz."

"I'm pretty sure it doesn't matter." Pepper murmurs

"Santa Cruz is in California. The Orchard is in Florida."

"Where in Florida?"

"I don't know, I pay people to keep track of things like that."

James rolls his eyes, "See that s what I hate about you spoiled little-"

"That has nothing to do with anything, I have shares in a number of-"

"Whatever."

Pepper groans, "Guys."

"There's a _winery_ in Santa Cruz is that what you're thinking of?"

"How on earth could I possibly confuse wine with oranges?"

"They re both fruit."

Tony gaps before throwing up his hands and turning to the woman currently staring up at the ceiling with a longsuffering look.

"I think our boyfriend is an idiot."

"Hey!"

She smirks, "Our boyfriend?"

"Life partner whatever, I'm not yet fluent in the terminology of our situation."

"And what is our situation?" James winks at Pepper behind the man's back, "Come on I have no idea."

"Glad to see some things never change."

"That's not funny." James deadpans even as Pepper stifles a giggle, "If you think saying things like that is funny-"

"Well excuse me for trying to brighten an otherwise awkward situation which I had no part in."

''No part in?'"

"Yes, you people practically accosted me-"

"Well this person is taking a shower," Pepper interrupts, 'because 'you people' have made me late for work."

And with that Pepper goes into the bathroom, leaving them both a little put out. Without looking away Tony punches James in the shoulder, greeted almost immediately by a return punch to the arm which turns into thirty seconds of them pummeling each other until James finally snaps out of it

"What are you doing?"

"You made our woman late."

"She's not late she's the boss."

"Well technically speaking she's more like the permanent substitute authoritative figurehead-"

"You're an imbecile," he looks at his wristwatch, "and now I'm late."

"Well when put like that maybe I did play some part." Clearing his throat and acting as if he's about to jump off a cliff Tony wraps his fingers in the collar of his own robe, "I'm sorry."

The kiss is almost like the one last night, hesitant at first but still pushing forward with all the Stark persistence Tony can muster. He keeps the man in a solid grip as if expecting him to run the moment it's over and parts with their foreheads brushing against one another, an unreleased breath hanging between them.

"I'll see you at work". James says in a breath, grabbing his clothes as he fumbles out of the room

Tony realizes that thanks to him James will probably be unable to focus all day and grins, picking up the discarded orange juice container and looking at the bottom.

"What do you know, The Orchard is in Santa Cruz."


	4. Trust:TonyxRhodey:Gen

"OH! Off by a long shot. Better luck next time."

"Why are you here?" Rhodey tears the tape off a package of bullets, "Go home."

"I saw something on those scans."

"You didn't see anything. We ve got this alright?"

"The last time you said that, Tokyo Menace destroyed half the block."

"Tokyo Menace was after your top secret buddy Fury who I still know nothing about." He lines up his sights, with a chuckle "Yeah, nothing to say about that."

Tony leans his back against the partition, earmuffs hanging from around his neck," I thought we discussed that that's something I can't discuss."

"Whatever you say. SOUND OFF!"

"Sound off." the intercom blared

Any noise is cut off by the blasts of gunfire coming from the various booths as Rhodey and those around him empty their clips. After a minute of silence a buzzer sounds and the targets slide forward on their wires. Rhodey examines the human cutout while Tony rattles off his usual excuse, half BS half what he's already said a million times before.

"You know what, Tony, don't insult me. If you don t want to tell me anything-"

"I just stood here and literally explained everything. Were you not listening?"

"Sure." he sets the gun in its locker, but does little else as Tony's hands are on his shoulder

"I';m sorry. Buddy?" he crosses his arms, something dawning on him, "I've been neglecting our friendship, is that what this is about?"

"No." beat, "But you know you're running around with your Superheroes anonymous group and everyone expects me to keep tabs on you and your good ol boys."

"Some of them are women."

"And that little white boy from VEST-"

"SHIELD."

"-he s always showing up right before things get bad looking for you so he goes to Pepper and you know who Pepper goes to?"

"Uhm..."

"ME, because she thinks I can get to you, but I can never get to you because you re never where you re supposed to be."

"I'm sensing that you're frustrated with me," Rhodey clenches his teeth, "which is a healthy response, I'm learning, so to ease some of that frustration why don't we go for a beer?"

"A beer?"

"French beer, my treat."

"You'll give me the goods on this Fury guy?"

"Scouts honor, can I see your phone?" Within seconds of handing it over to him, Tony is tearing out its back and scanning its memory card, plugging the scanning device into his own phone and tapping out a few commands. When he hands back Rhodeys, he seems genuinely confused at the anger on the other man's face.

"Sup?"

"What did you just do?"

"Nothing."

"**Tony**."

"That is it's nothing if the scans that you so foolishly stored in the accessible database are clear in which case it should be no problem that I'm borrowing them to look over _after_ we have some drinks, get to the bottom of your insecurity issues, good times let's go."

"Why do I let you do this?"

"Who knows."

Rhodey follows him out of the shooting range," And I'm not insecure."

"As the friend who will never leave you I'll just agree."

.


	5. Baby Come Back: TonyxPepperxRhodey:Gen

It's weird to say they complete each other, but Tony is all about getting to the heart of things. He likes getting to the heart of things because knowing the truth makes it easier to avoid it; to navigate the verbal minefield that arises when a reporter shoves a camera in his face and asks him to explain this picture/video/eye witness account of him Pepper and Rhodey exiting a restaurant arm in arm in arm.

"The obsession with celebrity is running the morals of this great country into the ground."

"Yeah yeah." James sets the bowl of popcorn on the table and sits beside Pepper, "What movie is this?"

"The new kicky stabby action one that came out last week. We got an advance copy because-"

"Hello, people!" Tony calls, standing up from the table and bringing the paper with him to the living room, "I'm talking about the privacy and comfort of our very lives."

"I'm pretty comfy," James kicks the remote into his hand, lifting his arm so Pepper can rest her head in his lap

"So am I," she gestures to the bowl on the table, "Tony would you?"

"I don't understand why you want to watch some B movie superhero when you have the real deal." he drops down on the other side of James, head filling the rest of the man's lap after setting the bowl on the ground where he and Pepper can reach.

"Well for one thing he doesn't leave crumbs in my lap." James brushes off the kernels

"Boys, please-" Pepper starts

"Look at the cape. Who does that in the twenty first century?"

"All the best superheroes wear capes."

"If you bring up Clark Kent one more time so help me Rhodey-"

"He is a credit to the community."

"I happen to know for a fact he stuffs his leotard."

"It's not a leotard."

"James."

"Tights whatever."

"Tony."

"Let me guess, Lois Lane told you that."

"What is your beef with her?"

"BOYS!"

Tony lifts his head, "What?" James flicks him

"I have been so stressed lately with handling the company, the press, Iron Man and micromanaging all of our schedules so that we can see each other at least once a week and I didn't come here to listen to you complain about paparazzi," she glares at Tony, "Or your man-crush on Superman." James whistles and looks away, "I came here for a quiet, pleasant evening with my friends-"

"Platonic life partners."

"But if I can't get that then I'll go somewhere where I can."

There's a silence.

"Are you breaking up with us?"

"Gah!"

She gets off the couch, fumbling for her shoes and going into the room for her purse. James looks at Tony and clears his throat. Tony clears his throat louder. James nods towards Pepper

'_Go'_ he mouths

'_You go.'_

'_It's your fault.'_

'_Is not.' _a door slams shut

'_GO!'_

He shoves him and Tony tumbles off the couch, James not even bothering to smother his laughter. The other man doesn't respond, wiping off his shirt and striding towards Pepper as dignified as he can. She's nearly to the door, her shoelaces are untied and her hat is only on halfway.He jogs in front of her, walking backwards,

"Okay we're sorry, we'll behave."

"No, if you two want to act like children then that is how I'll treat you. I'm leaving and when you can appreciate what I do to keep this friendship together give me a call."

"Pepper come back, you can blame it all on me, okay? We were wrong and we couldn't possibly live without you, any kind of fool could see that." he takes her hand, "There's something in everything about you babe."

She sighs, closing her eyes for a moment, "That's Hall&Oats."

He thinks about it then looks over her shoulder at James, "Tag you're in."

James pulls Pepper aside while Tony watches. Within seconds she's smiling, putting her head on his chest and swatting him playfully. Tony frowns ready to speak but the colonel makes a silencing motion and instead he lets himself be wrapped in a hug

"I love you guys, let's just watch the movie."

He gaps, staring at the purse she's left in his hands, "How do you _do that?"_

_James shrugs smugly, "It's a gift."_

"_Well be sure to give me that gift for Christmas next year."_

_They laugh, heading back to Pepper who has started the movie again and take up their previous positions. Halfway through Tony lifts his head_

"_Seriously though what did you say?"_


	6. Tradition: TonyxPepperxRhodey

**A/N**: Expect a Superbowl fic if the steelers win, if not a Pepper/Tony marriage one.

* * *

"Virginia Rhodes-Stark-Potts."

"Why does his name go first?"

"Does it matter?"

"Yes as a matter of fact." Tony takes a seat at the breakfast table, setting down three cups of coffee

"What about Potts-Stark-Rhodes?"

"Well what you want to do is head down Pott's Stark Rhode and hang a left."

"I don't understand why you're changing it in the first place." James puts in, scratching out something in the ATC manual on his lap before taking a sip from his mug

"It's tradition."

"Since when is anything pertaining to us traditional."

"Potts-Rhodes-Stark?" She taps the pen on the table, "Most people go by the last anyway."

"Why don't you use Stark period." Tony smirks, "I mean come on you two are practically my-"

"If you call me your prison bitch one more time-"

"I was gonna say _sidekicks p_otty mouth."

James rolls his eyes, meeting Pepper's gaze, "Same difference."

"What about the celebrity name deal. Like…Parks!"

Pepper nods, thinking it over, "I could get behind Parks."

"Now wait a minute," James sets down the manual, "That's only Potts and Stark. If you're gonna do this-"

"It's not her fault your name turns everything into a street or a cheap drink."

Pepper groans, "Not this again."

"Yeah, bartender, three Tony Rhodes and a scotch over here."

"Well Virginia Stark sounds like a prude."

"And Virginia Rhodes sounds like an old woman who invites herself over for brunch on Tuesdays."

She sighs, standing up and taking the papers with her, "Thanks guys you've been a lot of help. I'll see you at work."

Tony turns around in his seat, "Be sure to take Pepper Rhode it'll get you there faster."

She rounds the corner just as Tony shouts something about a no-throwing-manuals-at-breakfast rule.


	7. Marriage:TonyxPepper

The thing was that she'd agreed to elope so it was his responsibility-neigh duty- to make sure it went off without a hitch.

He blasted one of the Orioles of their hovering board, watching him scramble at the surface before crashing down into the waves. Tony alerted the coast guard to pick them up as they fell, their yellow and black get ups making them easy to spot. The crew watched in astonishment as he went through the pack like a bull, blasting and throwing fists to fill each second.

_Boss Oriole approaching via stealth sub _Jarvis informed him and Tony plunged immediately below surface, tearing a hole through the engine and resurfacing minutes later with the Oriole's leader tied up and unconscious. When he reached the island he tossed the man onto the sand and jogged towards James and the priest.

"Sorry I'm late."

"You know I'm trying to be surprised, I really am."

"How's that going?"

"Lousy, here's the ring."

"And there's your bride." the priest interrupted and there she was, laughing with Georgie (her maid of honor-slash-woman she sat next to on the plane) holding a bouquet of local flowers, random splashes of yellow, blue and purple that made Tony forget all about Orioles and the fact that he was still in the Iron Man suit. He rushed out of it as Pepper came toward him, handing the case to James and trying to look dignified and alert and not at all nervous.

"You made it." she said upon reaching him, a blush betraying that she was no less nervous than him

"Well you know I like to get the most out of my frequent flyer miles."

"It's not too late for me to turn around."

"Well in that case," he looked at the priest pointedly

"Yes, of course." He folded his hands over the Bible, "We are here today to witness the union between Virginia Potts and-"

"IRON MAN."

"-otherwise known as Anthony Stark."

"I haven't finished with you yet Iron Man!"

James groaned while everyone else turned to the bedraggled man pressing down on something in his hand before collapsing back onto the sand. Before they could react further a swarm of metal birds descended, bullets flying from their mouths with the biggest opening up its chest to reveal a bundle of explosives. It swooped over head and Tony leapt forward, tackling Pepper and the other woman to the ground, but it passed by heading towards a single building in the distance.

"The resort!" Tony yelled over the noise of the other Oriole bots, "Head back and warn them!"

"I'm on it." The War Machine suit was covered in sand, its eyes red as the colonel's temper. He shot off into the air leaving the other man torn between getting the others away and wanting to fight the bots head on. The priest, Pepper and Georgie scrambled beneath a piece of Boss's wreckage where Pepper pressed the suit into his hands

"Go."

"No I promised you an Iron Man free wedding and that's what you're getting."

"It's a little late for that if you haven't noticed."

"James can handle it, he can…" he trailed off, his eyes focused on the case in hand, "Father Ryan?"

"Here!" his eyes widen, "Sorry, yes, do you Tony Stark take Virginia Potts-"

"Yes."

"And do you Virginia Potts-"

"Yes." they were both grinning

"Well then you may now-"

But they already were, the suit unraveling up Tony's form as he held her close, the kiss broken only by a distant explosion.

* * *

"I'd call this a success."

James raised an eyebrow, looking out on the scarred landscape and shell shocked survivors huddled together on the beach.

"You'd call _this _a success?"

Pepper comes between them, holding out drinks to them before wrapping an arm around her husbands' waist, "We were supposed to recite vows."

Tony smirks, raising his glass, "Cheers."


End file.
